The Football Forecast

Watford 2015/16 Season Preview

The Premier League is no mean feat, especially being a newly promoted team after years away from the top flight. Charlie Wright gives us his pragmatic predictions and how well the hornets will perform next season.

Last season: 2nd in the Championship

Last season review:

After 9 years away, Watford finally got themselves back into the top tier of English football, using 4 different managers however they still got there. In several seasons prior, the hornets had settled with mid table mediocracy minus their play-off campaign which saw them undergo misery at the hands of Crystal Palace, so last year was fantastic for the club and fans. Convincingly they picked up 20 points in the opening 2 months of the season, showing true brilliance with Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra linking up well up top, which set them on track for a zealous campaign. Slavisa Jakanovic, the confident bold Serbian, was appointed in October which gave the club stability for the season seeing as they’d already had 3 managerial mishaps since August. Only losing 10 games, scoring 89 goals and tying Troy Deeney up to a long term contract, the fans could only look up as they soared into the Premier League against Brighton on the penultimate game of the season.

Key Player:

With a squad packed full of attacking prowess only one player really sticks out like a sore thumb, Troy Deeney. Talisman Troy, captain and major goal threat, the Hertfordshire club have rejected numerous bids over the years from clubs looking to acquire the services of the consistent powerhouse. Netting 20+ goals in the last 3 consecutive seasons with Watford, he’ll be eagerly waiting to showcase his ability in front of a larger audience. Undoubtedly he’ll get the eye from several clubs in the BPL, so Watford have got a task on their hands trying to glue him down when the million pound bids start pouring in. Could this be the season Deeney nets 20+ in the 1st division? For me it’s not, however I can see his name on the top scorers list with 13 goals already.

2015/16 Season Preview:

Entering the Premier League after years away always tends to be difficult for teams. Some may not contain that prestigious ‘experience’ that is needed whereas teams who bounce back up after 1 or 2 year(s) of asking quite often manage to keep the core of their squads. For Watford, it’ll be a struggle. They seem to have recruited well signing Etienne Capoue, Valon Behrami and Jose Holebas for example, yet they haven’t made the necessary basic signings that you need for Top tier football. In the ratified laws of getting promoted, 33 year old veteran center backs tend to be the most popular choices on teams shopping lists, so they’re taking a gamble with their summer business. From a personal point of view the Hornets will struggle, despite the Vydra/Deeney/Ighalo fire power up top, I couldn’t nail them finishing any higher than 18th place.